Alexithymia and sensory processing sensitivity account for unique variance in the prediction of emotional contagion and empathy.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Empathy-the ability to identify and share another person's emotional state-is an important socio-emotional process arising, in part, from emotional contagion. In the current study, we assessed unique variance in emotional contagion and other empathy-related constructs accounted for by two personality traits, alexithymia and sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), when controlling for childhood emotional abuse and current depressed mood.

Methods

A sample of 305 adults (M _age = 20.1 years) watched brief film clips chosen to induce various emotional states. After each film, the participants rated how strongly they experienced each of nine different emotions. They then completed self-report measures of alexithymia, SPS, empathy-related constru

SUBMITTER: McQuarrie AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10157231 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature